The Look
by Cvyle
Summary: A one-shot interpretation of what I believe went down between Erina and Souma in Ch.126 of the manga.


Yukihira Souma, despite being one of the most irritating people on this planet, was still one of the students that managed to get into the autumn election's main tournament. Having him along with four other finalists being in the red for the Moon Banquet festival was too much for even Nakiri Erina to handle. She just absolutely could not have them belittle the reputation of Tootsuki's esteemed fall classic, even if she had to help the most infuriating man on the planet...

"You got last place," said Nakiri Alice through a mouthful of bing, even though she was competing against Yukihira-kun, doesn't mean she can't eat his food and enjoy it while she's at it.

"We did too..", the platinum haired boy quickly cut in, still annoyed with Alice's lack of responsibility when it comes to their own booth. After all, they were in the same situation as Yukihira and yet she acted like he was in the red all by himself.

Erina before letting the situation get out of hand, or rather just plain pathetic, had decided that they should all just focus on getting out of the red for now. "...Anyways! You don't have time to be thinking about other areas. You must focus solely on defeating Kuga-san in the central area-"

"Really?", exclaimed the red haired boy, he was surprised to hear Nakiri voice actual concern for him and even more so due to the fact that she was basically encouraging him to beat Kuga-senpai, encouraging him to reach for the top, or at least the eighth seat of the elite ten. For the first time ever Nakiri Erina was acknowledging him as a chef, he was completely caught off guard, though only for a little while, he stared into her shocking pink eyes as if seeing them for the first time.

"Eh?"

Erina hadn't really gotten what he meant, _was he really that much of an idiot?_ had he not known that he had to focus on defeating Kuga-san instead of worrying about other areas. But still, something felt different especially when she turned her head and their eyes met. Souma's eyes were shining brilliantly as if they were the sun themselves. She had never really stopped to look at them, but right now she was getting a chill down her spine, his eyes were so intense it felt like they were piercing right through her, inside her a switch went off almost like his eyes were igniting a growing fire inside of her. They had been staring at each other for quite some time now, but neither had broken their gaze, it was starting to feel like a staring contest except Erina was losing. He was setting her on fire with just his gaze, _somethings different about him,_ though she didn't know what. Was this really the same infuriating man she met at the entrance exam? because right now, to her, it felt like a completely different person. She still didn't understand what it was that she said that triggered him off; was he questioning her or something else. All she knew was that she could not look away.

Megumi Tadokoro who had been observing the staring contest from the side was really concerned with who would blink first. In all seriousness though, she had felt something between them, though she knew how much Nakiri-san didn't even like to hear his name, the fact that they're looking at each other and she's not going off at him or is the least bit agitated was, to say the least, suprising. They had been going at it for a while now too. _Nakiri-san and Souma-kun...just what is your relationship?_ Just when she thought that they were going to suck each other in through their eyes she heard a familiar ringing sound. Mito-san and Takumi-kun's phones had gone off, it seems they were too busy discussing plans that they should try for tomorrow with Hayama-kun, that they hadn't seen the spectacle.

Both Takumi and Nikumi needed to return to their respected teams to prepare for tomorrow's challenge, but before they left they made it quite sure that Souma understood the severity of the circumstances he were in and scurried along. Souma having finally broken from the trance he was in and with a new found determination, thanks to a certain tsundere chef, had decided to test out new dishes for the festival. "Alright Tadokoro, let's go!"

"Yes!", the anxious brunette exclaimed, they were finally going to turn things around, momentarily forgetting what she had witnessed, she followed Souma out.

Erina was perplexed by the sudden turn of events, why the sudden burst of enthusiasm and more importantly what was _that_. Staring into his eyes just a few moments ago almost feels like a lie. Also, why was her heart racing so fast and why was she struggling to breathe,, had she held her breathe that whole time. _Maybe I'm getting sick?_ Even so she had the inexplicable desire to want to see him again, she really was getting sick, either way she could not let him distract her, she had problems of her own. _I'll just request Hisako to make one of her medicinal treats again for "testing"._ Though what Erina doesn't seem to understand yet is that these weren't symptoms of the common cold or flu, these were the symptoms for a much worse disease, love.


End file.
